SUMMARY
Alfred Poirier’s The Peacemaking Pastor: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Church Conflict seeks to “ground peacemaking on a solid biblical and theological foundation.”[1] The book is divided into thirteen chapters with an introduction.
In chapter one Poirier somewhat tongue-in-cheek claims to be a heretic who holds to the heresy of Docetism – “the belief that Christ only appeared to be, or seemed to be, fully man.”[2] His point is that he and many pastors fail to recognize Christ’s real human ministry or take instruction from it. Christ was fully human and ministered to humans. Pastors can and should, too. Moreover, at the very center of Christ’s ministry and mission is the cross, the ultimate symbol of reconciliation. He ends chapter one with a statement regarding the basis upon which the remaining 12 chapters are written: “Peacemaking is Christology.”
In chapter two Poirier gives many examples of how conflict begins. Of particular note is his explanation of “The Slippery Slope” graph which he took from the Ken Sande book, The Peacemaker.[3] The graph is useful to peacemaker to help parties in conflict identify their own role in the conflict and their willingness to resolve the conflict biblically. The book of James is quite useful in studying the causes and effects of conflict and how to begin the process of resolution.
Chapter three addresses the root causes of conflict, which are essentially the desires of the sinful heart. People in conflict have usually given their personal desires, which are often selfish and sinful, greater weight than the needs and desires of others. This creates conflict, especially when desires become demands.
Chapter four presents God as peacemaker. Poirier argues that God is the ultimate peacemaker which brings Him glory. God does use conflict to His purposes, but reconciliation and restoration reflect His true character of love.
In chapter five Poirier establishes the importance of the doctrine of redemption for effectiveness in peacemaking. He shows that peacemaking is biblical and that it is particularly necessary in the body of Christ. The church is the family of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Biblical texts such as Matthew chapters 5 and 18, 1 Corinthians chapter 6, and 1 Timothy chapter 3 are keys passages from which Poirier make this point.
Chapter six stresses the importance of repentance in the conflict resolution process. True confession is evidence of true repentance. It is much easier to resolve conflict where another is at fault when people are first willing to own up to their own faults. Poirier identifies seven necessary steps in confession:
- Address everyone involved.
- Avoid words such as “if,” “but” and “maybe.”
- Admit specifically.
- Accept the consequences.
- Alter behavior.
- Ask forgiveness.
- Allow time.
Chapter seven is the counterpart to chapter six in that it offers instruction on forgiveness. He explains what exactly forgiveness is and is not, and how it should be applied. Poirier gives the biblical basis for forgiveness from a number of passages, though Luke 17:3 is most succinct: If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. Dispositional forgiveness occurs when one reaches out to one’s enemy. Transactional forgiveness occurs when one reaches out to another who has offended him.
Chapter eight highlights the value of looking to the interests of others in conflict. He explores the various types of negotiation: competitive, cooperative, and biblical. Again, he borrows from author Ken Sande for the critical steps in negotiation. Sande developed an acronym: P-A-U-S-E.[4]
P = Prepare
A = Affirm
U = Understand Interests
S = Search for Creative Solutions
E = Evaluate Options Objectively and Reasonably
Chapter nine makes the case for mediation in ministry and in daily Christian life. Mediation is at the heart of God’s redemptive plan for the reconciliation of mankind to Himself. Christ as the High Priest of God is our mediator. He mediated on the cross and continues to intercede daily on our behalf. Paul was a mediator. Pastors are called to be mediators by the nature of their vocation as shepherds and, by numerous passages of Scripture both as Christians and as pastors.
Chapter ten outlines the keys to effective mediation and arbitration. The role of mediator or arbitrator is that of an objective third party who can help bring resolution to conflict. The goals of mediation and arbitration are explained as process, personal and product satisfaction.[5] Process satisfaction regards how it is done, personal satisfaction regards the behavior of the parties, and product satisfaction regards the final result.
In chapter eleven Poirier takes up the subject of church discipline. Though the primary biblical text for church discipline is Matthew chapter 18, he brings in many other supporting Scriptures. He builds the case for church discipline in the modern church. He points out that the church belongs to Christ, and that Christ has given its leadership authority to exercise church discipline. Discipline in the church is as much a part of the ministry of the church as is baptism, communion, and bible teaching.
Chapter twelve is an outline of the major considerations for pastors exercising church discipline: they should exhibit humility, they should have a correct view of the nature of sin, they should operate out of a shepherd’s heart, and they should approach discipline from a familial perspective. The Proverbs provide much instruction on discipline. The object of discipline is not punishment, but repentance and reconciliation. Love is at the core of discipline. Thus, discipline should be initially private. As rebellion persists in the offender, the circle of those involved in the correction becomes ever wider. Pastors should be aware that they are already involved in church discipline through their teaching and counseling ministries. Exercising more formal church discipline is simply a natural out flowing of their present ministries.
Chapter thirteen is the final chapter of the book and offers the author’s personal suggestions for helping a church become a peacemaking
EVALUATION
Negative Remarks
This book was useful in its content, but it is a difficult read. It is more of an argument for peacemaking than an actual how-to manual. The reader already agrees with the premise that peacemaking is biblical and should be pursued by pastors in their ministries and in the personal lives. The reader is reading the book for the very purpose of discovering the specific training he needs to become an effective peacemaker.
The author builds and continues to build the case for peacemaking in nearly every chapter of the book. As a result, it is often tedious and verbose, and is reminiscent of John Piper’s book on Christian hedonism in this regard. It is repetitive, and sometimes even exhausting for the reader to trudge through the endless anecdotes and arguments to get to the author’s point. Nearly all of chapter eleven was a defense of church discipline.
The writer overstates the problem of divorce in the church without a fair explanation of the data used to support his conclusion. The book leaves many unanswered questions that the book itself raises. The section on how people negotiate in everyday life was elementary and did not add to the books objective. The book is too inspirational. Too much time is spent exploring what needs to be done rather than explaining how it should be done. The writer almost seems to approach his reader as one who is undergoing the very mediation process author is discussing. Too much time is spent on how not to make peace.
Positive Remarks
The book is convicting throughout. The writer encourages a biblical viewpoint in every section and urges the reader to act biblically. It is strong on exhortation. “The Slippery Slope” graph is excellent, but is borrowed from another writer. The section on how human desires instigate conflict was brilliant. The author’s insight into fallen human nature is evident, especially in noting how people in conflict distort their own perception of what is happening in the conflict.
The suggestion to extend grace and seek self-change in conflict was a very useful instruction. The focus on God and His desires and purposes was very admirable and insightful. The section on the correct way to apologize is universal in its application and very effective. His points on biblical negotiation were substantive. The emphasis on humility in the peacemaking process was very helpful. The assertion that discipline is discipleship was eye-opening. The author’s consistent and correct use of Scripture throughout the work was commendable and gave much weight to the arguments and techniques suggested in the book. The step-by-step instructions were among the most useful sections of the book.
CONCLUSION
This book is a good argument for peacemaking and well explores the underlying biblical basis for it. The strategies were good and will improve the reader’s effectiveness in peacemaking if employed. Offsetting these strengths is the tedious, redundant and reflective nature of much of the text. The how-to sections of the book are somewhat lacking and too often become occasions for simply bringing more clarity to the problem rather than providing effective solutions to the many issues surrounding peacemaking. On balance, the book does fully not live up to its title.
[1] Alfred Poirier, The Peacemaking Pastor: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Church Conflict (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2006), 15.
[2] Ibid., 19.
[3] Ibid., 37.
[4] Ibid., 165.
[5] Ibid., 211.
